Hydrogen | World first H2
generator to be installed at Northport
National Grid Ventures (NGV) (commercial arm of National Grid plc) has announced it will install the world’s first commercially-deployed, 100% hydrogen-fuelled Mainspring linear generator at its Northport power station, Long Island, NY, USA
The project is supported by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA). The remaining funding is provided directly by NGV, while Stony Brook University and Mainspring Energy are also project partners.
Mainspring’s linear generator produces power via a low-temperature, flameless chemical reaction and can be used during
periods of peak demand. For a 12-month trial period, it will run on 100% green hydrogen, while undergoing rigorous testing. The linear generator is expected to be operational by September 2026.
The New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) anticipates that at least 20 GW of Dispatchable Emission-Free Resources (DEFR) will be needed by 2040 to support New York’s clean energy mandates, according to its 2023- 2042 System & Resource Outlook. This capacity will contribute to replacing current fossil fuel generation and transitioning towards a zero- carbon electric grid.
What is a linear generator? Northport power plant (photo: NGV)
“This hydrogen-fuelled, commercial linear generator is the world’s first and an important step in developing the energy resources of tomorrow,” said Will Hazelip, President of National Grid Ventures, US. “This innovative technology…has the ability to change fuels as market conditions change, to avoid burdening customers with unnecessary costs. Keeping the grid reliable and resilient requires a broad range of energy sources, and this linear generator pilot at National Grid’s Northport plant will add yet another flexible tool to protect against loss of generation capacity at critical times.”
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority President and CEO, Doreen M. Harris, said: “This first-of-its-kind project will demonstrate how clean hydrogen can serve as a dispatchable resource to help maintain grid reliability while supporting an affordable energy transition.”
LIPA CEO, Carrie Meek Gallagher, sees the pilot project as reflecting LIPA’s commitment to “advancing dispatchable, zero-emission technologies essential to meeting New York’s climate goals and enhancing reliability.” The Northport programme intends to demonstrate the linear generator’s viability as a Dispatchable Emission-Free Resource for Long Island’s electrical grid, able to be quickly brought online to supplement other generation sources during times of peak demand. Once operation begins, expected in 2026, the Northport linear generator will undergo a thorough independent evaluation by the Advanced Energy Research and Technology Center (AERTC) at Stony Brook University. The Stony Brook Department of Mechanical Engineering’s assistant professor Dimitris Assanis will lead the team that will design the framework and methodologies required to
fuelled linear
Key parts of the Mainspring linear generator core
The Mainspring linear generator (see also MPS, April 2024, p 32) is a fundamentally new power generation technology. Distinct from a piston engine, microturbine, or fuel cell, a linear generator directly converts motion along a straight line into electricity using chemical or thermal energy. Mainspring’s linear generator uses a flameless reaction of air and fuel to drive magnets through copper coils to produce electricity. This innovative design, with just two moving parts, combined with Mainspring’s adaptive control software, enables high efficiency, near-zero NOx
emissions, full
dispatchability, and seamless switching between fuels, including natural gas, biogas, hydrogen, ammonia, and others.
How does it work? The two moving parts, called oscillators, move back and forth on air bearings. Each has a set of magnets attached to it. The magnets move through stationary copper coils, generating electricity. The motion is driven by a flameless reaction of air and fuel. This occurs in the ‘reaction zone’ located between the two oscillators.
The low operating temperature results in near-zero NOx emissions without any after-treatment.
This design offers: high efficiency, due to the direct conversion of linear motion into electricity; Near-zero NOx
thanks to use of a low-temperature reaction
without a flame; fuel flexibility, due to a continuous, adaptive control without mechanical constraints; full dispatchability, with load tracking, fast on/off, black start, and islanding; low cost, using standard materials, only two moving parts, and no oil.
Source: Mainspring
34 | September 2025|
www.modernpowersystems.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55
